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New Lessons in Leadership from Surviving 2020

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For many, if not most of us, 2020 turned out to be one of the most challenging years we have ever faced. Blissfully unaware, we entered the year in January expecting a year much like those of the past. Little did we know that we were just eight weeks away from entering the topsy-turvy world of pandemic mania.

I recently ran across a great, thought-provoking article in the MIT Sloan Management Review called “Nine Leadership Lessons 2020 Gave Us” in which author Ally MacDonald spoke with several top leaders about 2020. Their question to these leaders: In what ways did 2020 test leaders, and what are the lessons to be learned.

See leadership lessons from 2020

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Long Time Crestron CTO Fred Bargetzi Dies

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Fred Bargetzi photo

I’m sorry to report that we have some sad news out of Crestron today. On Tuesday, the company announced its long time Chief Technology Officer, Fred Bargetzi, has died. Viewed by many to be a key component of the success of one of our industry’s most respected technology companies, colleagues are said to be “in shock.”

See more on the passing of Fred Bargetzi…

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Thanks to Readers, Strata-gee Hits Stratospheric Heights in 2020!

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strata-gee logo with light bulbs

See What Drove Results for Strata-gee

I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but thanks to Strata-gee’s amazing readers, both long time subscribers and many, many new converts, Strata-gee had its biggest year ever in 2020! The data are clear and unequivocal, pageviews this year were not only greater than last year…they exceeded it by a margin far greater than I could have ever dreamed possible! And that’s just one example of surprisingly positive stats in Strata-gee’s 2020 results in the wake of a branding and web presence overhaul.

See more on this amazing result, coming out of a crazy 2020 year…

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Judge Approves Reorg Plan by AVDG Parent Guitar Center

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Photo of Guitar Center store in Albany, NY
[Photo: Gabby Jones/New York Times]

Company to Exit Bankruptcy Soon

The judge hearing the matter of the bankruptcy filing of Guitar Center, Inc., parent company of custom integration company Audio Visual Design Group (AVDG), has accepted the organization’s plan to reorganize operations in order to emerge from bankruptcy. With this move by the court, the stage has been set for Guitar Center to exit from bankruptcy proceedings soon, perhaps any day now.

See what the court’s action means for Guitar Center & AVDG…

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Annual CEDIA State of the Association Report Includes Some Drama

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CEDIA State of the Association opening slide

Nearly 600 Members Leave the Association in 2020

CEDIA held their annual State of the Association report for members today and, as usual, it was a well produced, glitzy affair more bent on selling the organization to all who choose to watch and listen. The Master of Ceremonies was Giles Sutton – no surprise for anyone aware of some of the inside actions taking place at the highly political organization. Sutton is the interim co-CEO of the trade group. But is it a trade group? Or is it something else altogether?

Learn more about what CEDIA said in their Annual Report to members…

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AKM Fire Update: Sony Admits It Faces ‘Severe Shortage’ of Key Imaging Models

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Sony ZV-1 vlog camera

Most manufacturers in Tech have been reluctant to discuss the impact on the supply chain – and on the availability of their key models – as a result of the recent Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) factory fire in Japan. However, Sony – especially Sony Europe – has admitted to customers that it’s camera and video division, is “facing a severe shortage of key parts” for its compact cameras and video cameras. Although Sony did not specifically correlate their problem to the AKM situation, a large number of camera and photography media are saying that this is most likely the cause of the shortage to which Sony is referring.

See what Sony & other brands say about the AKM fire fallout…

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SnapAV & Integra Announce a New Exclusive Distribution Deal

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Graphic showing integra a/v receiver and snapav logo

On Tuesday, SnapAV announced that it has inked an agreement with Onkyo Corporation to become the exclusive distributor of the company’s Integra brand for the countries of Australia and New Zealand. SnapAV says this new appointment will take effect on February 1, 2021.

Learn more about this new distribution deal…

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Sony to Close Major Malaysia Audio Factory; Begins Refocus Away from A/V

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Sony audio factory in Malaysia that is closing in September 2021
[Photo: Sony]

Closing a Separate Audio & TV Factory in Brazil as Well

Sony Corporation has two large factories in Malaysia – one manufacturing audio products, and the other manufacturing predominantly video products. A new report out of Japan indicates that the company plans to close its audio factory in Malaysia by no later than the beginning of 2022 – or in other words, during the upcoming year of 2021. This move is likely a result of a previously announced strategic refocusing on businesses other than a/v electronics at the major consumer electronics manufacturer.

See more on this expected/shocking move by Sony…

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In a New Twist, CEDIA Board Names Not One, But Two Interim Co-CEOs

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cedia logo

CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association, announced earlier this week that it has named Giles Sutton, current Senior Vice President of Member Success and Sales, and Kory Dickerson, current Senior Vice President of Operations, as Interim Co-CEOs, replacing Tabatha O’Connor – the current CEO whose contract is ending in January. The Board of Directors had previously announced that it decided not to extend O’Connor’s contract, but didn’t say why. Ostensibly, the organization is still searching for a more permanent solution, but for now, we get two CEOs instead of one.

See more on this eyebrow raising CEDIA announcement…

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EVA Automation Escapes Forced Bankruptcy; But Shuts Down Anyway

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eva automation executives
EVA Automation in happier times

EVA Admits ‘Financial Distress’ & A Business ‘Wind Down’

EVA Automation, the now former owner of Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) dodged a bullet when late last month U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel, entered an order dismissing the involuntary petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy brought against them by Top Victory Investments Limited (whose attorneys use the acronym TPV). With that decision, a forced bankruptcy was avoided. However, as court records clearly demonstrate, the company did feel some pain as a result of this filing, and according to their attorneys were in the process of conducting an orderly shut down of the business.

Not only that, but we learn much more about EVA Automation‘s relationship with Bowers & Wilkins – and their degraded circumstances based largely on the failure of their Formation wireless speaker line marketed under the B&W brand.

Learn more about EVA Automation’s situation…

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